Battle Royale

As much as I wanted to rest, the announcement echoing through the arena made it impossible to relax. Hecate's commanding voice, amplified by her magic, sent shivers down my spine.

“Attention!” she began, her tone sharp and authoritative. The crowd immediately quieted, anticipation hanging heavy in the air. “The third round of the last phase will commence shortly. For this battle, the rules are simple: no alliances, no limits, and no mercy. It will be a battle royale between the remaining three contestants: Valkyrie, Elara, and Magnus.”

The crowd erupted into cheers, the excitement palpable. My heart raced, though not entirely from nerves. It was an intense mixture of dread and exhilaration. 

“Battle royale?” I muttered under my breath, trying to process the gravity of the announcement. “That’s one way to make it dramatic.”

Tabitha paused at the door, her brow furrowing in concern as she looked back at me. “Be careful, Val. Elara’s celestial magic isn’t something to take lightly, and Magnus… well, you know what he’s capable of.” Dion gave a silent nod, his expression unreadable.

“I’ll be fine,” I assured them, even though my voice didn’t sound as confident as I wanted it to. “I’ve been through worse.”

“Have you, though?” Tabitha quipped, raising an eyebrow. “Because this looks like a disaster waiting to happen.”

Master, still beside me, didn’t say anything at first. His silence was unnerving, his eyes fixed on me as if searching for something. Finally, he spoke, his tone firm. “Go get them.”

I smiled and nodded, but the knot in my stomach remained.

***

The arena had transformed again, the battlefield now an elaborate blend of elemental terrain. Jagged cliffs of rock jutted out, a sprawling lake shimmered under a magical sky, and swirling winds howled through narrow chasms. At the center was a massive clearing, where the three of us would begin.

Elara was already there, and for a moment, I couldn’t look away. Her striking red hair shimmered like fire, framing her sharp features with an almost ethereal beauty. Her gaze swept over the arena, calculating and cold, carrying an undeniable predatory air. The faint glow of her celestial magic surrounded her, enhancing her imposing presence, making her seem both otherworldly and untouchable.

Magnus arrived next, his silver hair catching the light like strands of pure electricity. He exuded confidence, his every step charged with energy. Sparks danced along his body, crackling as if eager to be unleashed.

I stepped onto the field last, my heart racing as I tried to steady my breathing. My grip on my wand tightened involuntarily, a mix of fear and excitement surging through me. The weight of the moment pressed down on my chest, but I forced myself to stay focused, my eyes scanning the arena as the atmosphere crackled with tension.

Hecate appeared in a flash of light, her presence commanding the attention of everyone in the arena. She raised her hand, her voice cutting through the noise.

“Take your positions!”

We moved to our designated spots, forming a triangle at the edges of the clearing. The tension was thick, the air crackling with anticipation.

“Begin!”

The moment the word left her lips, chaos erupted.

Magnus wasted no time. The air around him crackled with energy, his silver wand glinting as he raised it high. Storm clouds gathered overhead, and with a swift flick of his wrist, bolts of lightning erupted toward both Elara and me, splitting the air with deafening roars.

I darted to the side, my feet skidding on the rough ground. Quickly, I aimed my wand at the earth and chanted the iron spell. Poles burst from the ground, tall and gleaming, strategically placed to intercept the lightning. Sparks flew as Magnus's attack struck the poles, grounding the electricity harmlessly.

Above us, Elara soared gracefully into the air, her wand glowing with celestial light. Her red hair shimmered like a blazing halo, her movements precise and deliberate. The ground where she had stood was now scorched black, remnants of Magnus's initial attack. She said nothing, her expression calm and unreadable as she prepared her next move.

Before either could strike again, I took my chance. Pointing my wand at the ground, I summoned thick, twisting vines that erupted like serpents, shooting toward both Elara and Magnus. The vines writhed and coiled, aiming to ensnare them both.

Elara’s celestial aura flared as her wand radiated light, burning through the vines with practiced efficiency. She twisted midair, avoiding the attack with an elegance that made it clear she didn’t waste energy on unnecessary movements. Magnus snarled, a burst of lightning crackling around him as he twirled his wand, shattering the vines before they could fully entangle him.

“Huh,” Magnus taunted, his silver hair shimmering as he pointed his wand at me. “Iron and weeds can’t stop me.”

I grinned, wiping the sweat from my brow. “Don’t underestimate me, lightning boy.”

Elara remained silent, her gaze shifting between us. Her focus was unnerving, as if she were analyzing every move, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

She made her move with no warning. Her wand traced a sharp arc through the air, and a radiant beam of light shot down toward me like a comet. I barely had time to react, raising my wand to cast a stone shield. The beam struck with explosive force, shattering the shield and sending me tumbling backward.

Before I could recover, Magnus turned his attention to Elara. “You think you’re safe up there?” he sneered, twirling his wand as the stormy sky responded to his call. A jagged bolt of lightning ripped through the air, aiming directly for her.

Elara’s celestial magic flared once again, her wand tracing defensive runes in the air as she twisted away from the bolt. She moved with quiet precision, her actions speaking louder than any words could.

Seizing the opportunity, I flicked my wand, and the ground trembled as a wave of magma erupted, surging toward both Elara and Magnus. The glowing wave illuminated the battlefield, its heat palpable even from a distance.

Elara darted higher, her wand flashing as she narrowly evaded the molten wave, while Magnus leapt onto a nearby rock, lightning arcing around him as he barely avoided the attack.

“Human, know your place!” Magnus sneered again, clearly trying to rile me up.

I ignored his words, focusing instead on the growing tension in the battlefield. Elara’s silence made her presence even more imposing, her red hair a stark contrast against the stormy sky as she hovered above. She said nothing, only raised her wand, her eyes calculating her next move.

The battlefield was alive with chaos, each of us weaving spells and counterspells in a test of power, strategy, and endurance. None of us were backing down.

But I found it exhilarating. They were powerful.

Back when I practiced judo, seeing a strong opponent only fueled my excitement. The challenge pushed me to surpass my limits, and now, as a witch, I felt the same thrill. The rush of magic, the surge of power—it was intoxicating. This was what I lived for.

The crowd's roar grew louder, their cheers echoing through the arena with more fervor than ever before.

“These three are geniuses. They're not normal,” I heard some spectators whisper, their astonished voices carried by the wind.

I pulled my hair back into a tight ponytail with my plant magic, the vines twisting around my locks effortlessly. My gaze shifted to Elara and Magnus, and a thrill of anticipation surged through me. It was like a hunter eyeing her prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

“You’re both amazing!” I couldn’t help but smile, genuinely impressed by them.

For just a moment, I saw the flicker of fear in their eyes. But before I could savor it, they both attacked me at once.